Experienced roster has Hornets hungry for success

Chelsea’s Sarah Cespedes returns a wealth of experience in the pitching circle for Chelsea. The senior and UAB commit and has been the Hornets’ top hurler the last two seasons.

In Heather Lee’s first season coaching the Chelsea High School softball team, the Hornets lifted the 2016 Class 6A state championship trophy.

Seven seniors were featured on that team, and many expected the Hornets to take a step back in 2017. Lee was bound and determined not to let that happen.

Anything other than a repeat title would have been a step back in terms of the final result, but last season proved to be one of growth for Chelsea. The Hornets rebounded from a six-game losing streak midway through the season and found its way to the state tournament once again.

“We’re going to compete,” Lee said. “Our girls embodied that last year. That definitely sets the foundation for what I want to do in a program, and that’s compete every year at state.”

Chelsea finished fourth in the state tournament, a result that led Lee to call her team a group of “successful underdogs” for finishing the season strong.

“Last year, we were able to really set the foundation and prove it wasn’t just a fluke we won state,” Lee said.

Heading into this spring, the Hornets are in the opposite position from last offseason. Instead of replacing nearly every starter, now Chelsea only needs to replace a few.

Second baseman Kathryne Shoop and outfielder Miranda Traylor were the only graduates, while leadoff hitter and shortstop Allie Miller transferred to Thompson.

“I have a really good core group,” Lee said. “I have three seniors this year. They’ve all been with me my three years.”

Those three seniors are standout pitcher and UAB commit Sarah Cespedes, outfielder Morgan Seay and Jeslyn Blankenship. Along with catcher Brooke Burback, first baseman Camryn Smith, third baseman Lexi Serio and outfielders Skylar Baker and Chloe Eidson, the Hornets gained a wealth of experience at last year’s state tournament that should only benefit them moving forward.

“Just being in that environment changes you as a player,” Lee said. “Not many people ever experience that type of atmosphere. Every team wants to win. It prepared us for what we want to accomplish, especially having the young girls we had last year.”

Even though Traylor graduated, the Hornets have Seay and Eidson with corner outfield experience, so the main positions to fill are up the middle, at short and second.

“It might be a little bit different,” Lee said. “When you have a senior at second and somebody as talented as Allie, you don’t have to move around a lot. We’ll do that a little bit. Hopefully the people we have will fill those shoes well.”

In the circle, Cespedes has been nothing shy of spectacular much of the last two years and has shown no signs of slowing in her final year. Smith provided quality innings last season as well and should do so again.

Chelsea is also adding sophomore Abigail Bryars to the rotation.

“I really like those three, because all of them throw their own way. The way each of them throws complements the others. I’m really excited to start and see what those three do in the circle.”

Lee puts high value in the camaraderie of a team and believes the 2018 team has the ability to come together and find its way back to the state tournament.

“This year, with the mix of girls we have, their chemistry will take us a long way,” she said.